The government spends MVR 5 million a month (US$325,000) on 136 political appointees, approximately US$4 million a year, according to statistics obtained by local news outlet Sun Online.
The monthly spend includes 19 Minister-level posts at MVR 57,500 (US$3730), 42 State Ministers (MVR 40,000-45,000, US$2600-2900), 58 Deputy Ministers (MVR 35,000, US$2250), five Deputy Under-Secretaries (MVR 30,000, US$1950) and 10 advisors to ministers (MVR 25,000, US$1620).9\
President Mohamed Waheed is officially paid (MVR 100,000, US$6500) a month, Vice President Waheed Deen (MVR 75,000, US$4850).
Waheed’s Special Advisor Hassan Saeed, the Chancellor of the National University and the Controller of Immigration are paid at ministerial level.
On paper, the annual MVR 60 million spend on political appointees is approximately MVR 40 million less than the spend on political appointees during the former administration.
Figures released by the Ministry of Finance in July 2011 showed that the executive was spending MVR 99 million (US$6.5 million) annually on 244 political appointees, two percent of the state’s total wage bill.
The country’s 77 MPs are meanwhile paid a base salary of MVR 42,500 (US$2,750) per month, a further MVR 20,000 (US$1,300) per month in allowances for phone, travel, and living expenses, and a further MVR 20,000 in committee allowances.
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Why are they trying to compare Nasheed administration and current ? the current Ministers are all waste. even though MDP govt spent around 100 million per year on political appointees, and this administration spends arond 60 million, all of MDP's expenditure was spent on just political persons, who worked for the benefit of the people and MDP. That expenditure is allright. But this expenditure today is too much. This is unacceptable. We shouldnt criticise what has happened in the past, rather we need to critize this waheed govt.
Yes all hail the mighty MDP.
One of Nasheed's political appointees, Abdulla Shahid, who headed the National Disaster Management Center in the regime, stands accused of conspiracy in a scam which defrauded the State of 24 million Rufiyaa.
How does the man respond? "The Auditor General should note that it was done legally".
How legal was this transaction? A paper company by the name of ABC (yes! really!!!) submitted around 700 invoices for supplies supposedly provided to the Government in 2005. Surprise! The company was formed in 2010. Bigger surprise around 140 of the invoices were identical. Yet the worthwhile Nasheed-appointee saw fit to pay out 24 million rufiyaa in public funds to ABC.
The issue here is not of a specific political party. Parties and governments have proceeded to appoint persons of questionable integrity time and time again. We need processes to ensure that these persons are held accountable. We need a public who will not condone corruption and daylight robbery just because the robber comes from the party they support. Or else we can kiss democracy goodbye.
Ah tsk tsk.
Trying to justify your paymasters' excesses as always, eh?